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(NEW YORK, November 3, 1999) -- Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund announced Wednesday that Sherry Thomas has joined the organization as its director of development.

Thomas takes over the fund-raising operations at the nation's oldest and largest gay legal organization, after successfully leading an ambitious campaign to build San Francisco's new Main Library and assisting in the expansion efforts of a leading environmental group.

Said Thomas, who started in her new position November 1, "As the premiere lesbian and gay legal organization in the country, Lambda has made a difference in the lives of so many people, gay and non-gay, as well as people with HIV and AIDS. Contributing to Lambda's important civil rights work is an honor."

Thomas was most recently the director of development for Western operations at the Environmental Defense Fund, overseeing a major financial campaign to double the size of the organization and support its programmatic initiatives.

For six years prior to that, Thomas worked at the Library Foundation of San Francisco, first as development director, and later as its executive director. While at the Foundation, Thomas managed San Francisco's largest public-private partnership, raising $36 million for a new building to house the Main Library.

Thomas has also authored three books and edited 40 others. In addition, she has penned numerous magazine articles, having been a columnist for Outside magazine and the editor and publisher of Country Women magazine. Her publishing experience includes being a partner and the chief financial officer of Spinsters/Aunt Lute Book Company, one of the largest lesbian feminist book publishers in the country.

Thomas takes over from former Lambda Development Director Bill Peters, who held the post for six years and left in August. Under Peters' tenure, Lambda expanded from two to four offices and more than doubled its staff and budget.

Lambda was founded in 1973. Headquartered in New York, Lambda has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta.